Forward
by InternationalChocolate
Summary: To be quite honest, becoming a multiverse saving hero was not in fact the strangest thing that ever happened to her. She wasn't even sure it made her top 5. Though it was definitely one of the best things to happen to her in a very long time.
1. Chapter 1

_All dialogue in italics is in thai_

My lips curl at the diner sign, it seemed like the exact kind of place that made foods too salty and far to salty for me to be able to stomach. "Traditional" american food has never been my favourite, and after so many years of surviving on rice, or granola bars and fruit, I have a hard time eating it in general.

But I've gone as long as I dare without eating, and this is the middle of the desert, which itself is right in the middle of nowhere. There wont be another restaurant for hours. So I turn into the parking lot, parking the motorcycle in one of the empty parking spaces.

I stuff my key in my sweater pocket and push my way through the door. The interior is incredibly retro looking, I have a feeling that this place probably opened a few decades ago., and chose to save some money bu never remodeling. The space itself is basically empty, aside from me, a couple in one of the side booths and two employees.

I take a seat at the edge of the counter, dumping my fraying backpack at my feet, scanning the menu above me. Looks as though I'd been right with my gut instinct, but the prices are good, and Im not in a situation to be picky. Fries and coffee are a few bucks each, if I only get that, then \i'd still have cash left over.

"Hello! Welcome to Zeke's, what can I get for you?" chirps a raven-haired waitress from behind the counter.

I've already gone thorugh exactly what Im going to say and how to phrase it in english, knowing that its a simple thing to say and it won't give away information about me personally, but I still freeze up for a moment.

"Uh, fries, please. And coffee. Black."

I may tend to overthink things.

The waitress, whose name is apparently Grace, according to the tag pinned on her pink shirt, asks if I want anything else, but I shake my head, knowing that any more and I wouldn't have enough for gas.

" _Not that I'm able to eat much more then that at this point."_ I snort.

Grace the waitress turns around from, stopping in her tracks. "Did you just speak Thai?"

Shit.

Was I speaking out loud without realizing it? Oh god, what do I do? I've blown my cover. He'll be onto me. Will she know me enough from this one encounter to rat me out? Do I bolt? Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. But would that affirm any thoughts that I am me? I bet she is in leagues with Him.

She doesn't wait for my response. "That's really interesting, we've had a recent influx of foreigners, and actually your the second person I've met here that speaks that language."

Oh no. Oh no. I bet its Him **.** Who else could it be? There is absolutely no way it could be anyone else. I need to get out of here.

"He's actually around your age I comes by around now with a bunch of his friends. I'll point him out to you if he comes by!" she spins, her ponytail moving wildly behind her as she disappears into the back.

Oh. Ok. There is no chance anyone connected to him would be my age, seeing how the last time he tried something in that vein it went horribly for everyone involved. I should be ok to stay and eat my fries before heading back onto the road. Another segment in the year long constant roadtrip I've been on.

The little bell above the door chimed, she spared a glance to see a group of teens walk in, chatting away with each other. The sudden noisiness was stark compared to the quiet that had ruled over the diner moments before.

Grace the waitress set my food on the counter, making an incline with her head to the other group and smiling at me, before going over to serve them. I take another look through the side of my eyes, knowing she meant that the guy she had been talking about a few minutes earlier.

I narrowed out nearly everyone almost immediately based on appearance, I don't think anyone in this part of the world would know Thai as a second language. That and I nearly immediately picked out one teen who was without mistake from my homeland. I frown, turning back to my food to munch on a couple of fries. With the tousled dark hair and the dark brown eyes, he seems so familiar. But no name is jumping into my mind. I don't really know any place where I could have met him, especially any place that could have let him to whatever this towns name is.

Best not to linger on it. The coffee mug burns my hand as I drink. I smile a little, compared to the 2$ gas station coffee I've had for the past little while, this stuff tasted like heaven.

It's a small container of fries, and I'm starving, so when the pink waitress comes out with the other groups food, I'm staring at an empty plate.

I'm full though, well, full in the sense I don't want anymore food but I'd down anymore coffee someone would put in front of me. My mug has cooled down slightly at this point, but it's still half full.

My gaze runs around the diner as I sip my drink. The whole feel is very- what is the right word, retro, but more in the sense that it was built back when it was modern and simply never updated. I'm looking at the lights hanging above us when I feel someone looking at me.

My eyes drop, and its the guy. He's looking at me, incredibly puzzled. Or he just was, because once our eyes meet he turns and looks away.

I'm getting the sinking feeling that he thinks that we've met at some point in the past as well. That could potentially be a problem, seeing as the who, when and where are still a mystery.

To follow my personal philosophy, when faced with problems you dont know how to solve and/or social interaction the best way to handle it is to run. Far away.

I set my now empty cup down on the counter, fishing out a 10 dollar bill from the inner pocket of my grey hoodie. It should cover everything I ordered plus a little more, but the coffee was good so I don't think it'd hurt to be out a dollar or two, short on cash as I was.

Shrugging my backpack across my shoulders, I pull open the door and walk out, sparing only a second to cast a backwards glance to the teen. He's amiably chatting with his group of friends, not having noticed me leave. He won't for another few minutes. He, in all honesty, probably won't think about me again after this day. Or I about him.

And that is probably for the best.


	2. Chapter 2

_All dialogue written in italics is in Thai_

My motorcycle is my most treasured possession. It sounds stupid, but it means a lot to me. Not only is it a fantastic bike, and by far the most expensive thing I own, but it has sentimental value. I won my first race, both impromptu and actual competitive, on this motorcycle. That and it had been a gift on my sixteenth birthday. Completely unexpected but loved from the minute I laid eyes on it.

Though it doesn't look nearly as nice as it did then, a couple scratches marring the right side of it, and definitely in need of a wash, it serves me faithfully to do this day. Today being a clear, sunny, and sadly blisteringly hot day. As it had been for the past week of my travels, since I seem to be stuck in the middle of nowhere, unable to return to civilization.

Maybe its my love for driving this bike, and my streak of impulsive decisions that always seem to occur right after I've had coffee that steers me off the road that cuts out of the sand and dust right past the diner, out into the open space.

That, and I doubt there's any speed limits in the desert.

With a grin, I increase my speed and go flying, whipping past cacti and cliffs. My hair is flying out behind me. The feeling of zipping around at such high speeds is almost intoxicating, the thrill of the moment and the sheer pleasure of so fast you'd llok like a blur to whoever happens to catch a glimpse.

Somewhere in the back of my head I know that this is a waste of gas. But frankly, I don't care right now.

I'm almost drowning in thought and feeling, only noticing my surroundings enough to keep myself from crashing, swerving around cacti and dodging lone rocks.

Then I see something shoot down from the sky a few feet away from me, a vibrant blue- what are they called? A tornado. Twisting with almost nonexistent force or wind surrounding it.

Immediately I pull on the brakes, but I'm going to fast and I don't stop fast enough, and I'm sucked into the tornado.

Rocketing up the inside without any say for it myself, I'm launched out through the top before I can form a coherent thought.

I skid to a halt. The first thing I notice is that I'm not dead. The second thing I notice is my surroundings.

This isn't earth.

Tall, dark violet walls surround me, like a maze, some walls ending quite short and other seemingly continuing on for miles. Stretching my arm out, I run my fingers along a portion of the wall finding it cool to the touch. The large, shining blue thing that I entered this place from is some ways behind me. The sky is a mass of green streaks and below me is grey, featureless pavement.

Or perhaps this is what the rest of middle of nowhere, America is like and I just didn't know.

I say that thought in my head just as a rumble shakes the metallic ground underneath my feet and a violet wall springs up from the ground, shutting me off from the swirling blue thing from which I came.

" _Oh, you've got to be kidding me."_ I mutter, tucking my helmet underneath my arm. Now what exactly am I supposed to do?

How about just staying in this spot and curling up and dying?

Ignoring that thought, I jog over, going up against the newly formed wall, pressing my hands up hard against it in various places. With all of my strength I push, hoping that it wasn't a strong wall. But it doesn't budge.

With a groan, I turn and walk back, going back over to my bike. Obviously that way is closed off, but maybe

I start up my bike again, but before I drive off, I stare at the wall between me and my ticket home.

I mean, theoretically I could… No, no that's a terrible idea. I could have sworn I'm smarter then this.

With that idea firmly out of my mind, I speed off, following, tightly turning the corner and heading in the direction I hope is the right one.

* * *

I see now that is was not the right direction.

I know because it's been what's felt like ages and I still haven't found my way out. I've been going down pathway after pathway, occasionally having to redirect my route as impromptu walls come rocketing out of the ground, I've almost crashed into ones I weren't expecting a few times now.

And while it's not the right direction, the narrow corridor finally leads into an open space. Slowing down, I think I'v reached the center of this maze, its shaped in a hexagon, and is sloped in a gradual hill, the grey of the ground gradiating into a grey so light its nearly white. Above that is..

It is one of the strangest things I've ever seen. I hop of my motorcycle, take off my helmet and tucking it underneath my arm. I brush long black strands of my hair out of my face, staring at this.. I honestly don't know. A few steps, and it's basiclly right on top of my head. I'm almost want to reach up and try to grab it, but I thinks its too high for me to reach. The markings on it, look vaguely faqmiliar. Pushing up my sleeve on my right arm,and with a sinking feeling in my heart

The loud sound of a motorcycle jerks me out of my thoughts, a triumphants sounding voice exclaims.

"The battlekey! Now this was an-" The voice trails off, just as I whip around, my heartbeat picking up in speed. The motorcycle and its rider stand out starkly, the yellow contrasting with the violet of the wall just behind him. I look quickly for any sign of weapon or anything that might point to him to being hostile.

"You're the girl from the diner! What are you doing here?" he questions. He's certainly not Grace the Waitress, so he must be the guy I vaguely regognize. But who? I squint, tring to put a name to the person in front of me.

"English is probably a no." I hear him say to himself quietly, taking a moment of quiet before talking at me agian. " _Can you understand me?"_

I nod stifly, shifting back a few steps towards my motorcycle.

" _Wait! It's ok, I dont want to hurt you. I'm one of the good guys!_ " his hands go to his helmet, and he takes it off, moving so he's standing next to his bike. I know I've seen him somewhere before, he looks so familiar; something about the tousled black hair and the dark eyes and the structure of his face.

He's quiet, aswell, as we mutually try to figure out who the other might possibly be. After a minute or two, he speaks. " _OK, weird question, but do I know you? I feel like I've seen you before but I can't put-_

And then it clicks. I stumble across a memory with a very specific person that I hadn't really though about in months. A rush of emotions come through aswell as things I'd long forgotton. My voice is raspy even to my own ears and I'm not even evaluating what I'm saying in my head before hand because I want to be right. "Zoom?"

His eyes light up, a smile breaking out on his face and I know he's made the connection.

" _I can't believe it."_ he breathes and I can't help but break out into a smile too, because of all the people to run into, I'm really happy it ends up beong my closest childhood friend.

 _ **I forgot to mention this in the first chapter, so I'll say it here; so This is a rewrite of The Dark Of Shadows, however my oc and parts of the story has changed slightly. And hopefully, the main difference will be the wriiting itself, I do hope I've gotten better since 2014. Another short chapter, but the rest just get longer from here. Thanks for reading!**_

 _ **Reviews are really appreciated!**_

"


	3. Chapter 3

I'm so confused, a large pile of thoughts and emotions flying around in my brain and I don't know what to think or do or say but I'm smiling and I am starting to talk anyway. " _This was not what I imagined seeing you again was going to be like."_ Then agian, I didn't think I'd ever see him agian, I was, after all on a new continent.

Zoom grins. " _Meeting you in a battlezone wasn't one of my top 3 guesses either."_ He moves forward, and before I know it I'm enveloped in a warm hug.

" _I missed you."_ I say to him.

" _I missed you too A_ _tchara_ _."_ Atchara. The sound of my name being spoken by someone else is odd, both familiar and strange at the same time.

He pulled away, taking a good look at me. On his part, he hadn't really changed a bit. He'd gotten taller, but everything else is the same as I remembered. I wonder what he thinks of me. I've gotten taller as well, and my hair is probably a couple inches shorter then it ued to be, not having fully grown back from when I chopped it off. Other then that, I don't think I've changed that much. Same ice blue eye,same lithe build. Probably too skinny, Im lucky if I can get myelf to stop and eat a meal once a day.

With a second look, I notice something that should have been a glaring abnormality of what he's wearing, which…. I honestly don't know what it is. Its an orange-yellow, and all one piece I think. A white section that goes up to about halfway up his neck, and…. Shoulder pads? I honestly don't know what exactly they are. There's a symbol on a chest, with a 5 inside of it. And its certainly nothing I've ever seen before. Maybe I should just ask, I conclude, and do so.

Zoom fidgets, scrathing the back of his neck. " _Um, well. It's a shocksuit, and the reason I have it is kind of- er- complicated. Like really complicated._ _You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you."_

" _Does it involve this place?"_ I ask.

" _Sort of. This place is something called a battlezone. And in these battle zones there are these keys. We get the keys using our vehicles,"_ He takes a few steps back, and presses something on his bike, drawing the key from the air to the front hood of his motorcycle. _"And these things they- well... Its a long explantation. Probably better explained back on earth, where its safer._

I look at him quizically, about to ask what exactly was so dangerous about this place, because I doubt that he'd be concerned about random walls appearing during our conversation, when I notice something shiny and metallic in the corner of my vision. I turn my head, and my gaze immediatly snaps to a small metal thing, with a bright red circle in the center, trained just past me.

" _Uh, Zoom. What is that?"_ I- point limply at the thing which continues to hover, making faint noises which I don't know how to describe. He turns and curses, looking like hes about to run forward when the thing turns and flies off around one of the many corners.

" _Perfect. Zemricks going to know that I've got the key. And he's going to know that an unarmed human is here aswell, who know what he might come up with using that knowledge..."_ He mutters to himself, before turning to me. " _We need to get you out of here."_

" _I'm sorry.. what? What is going on?!"_

" _Short answer; that was a scout for an evil robot who wants the battle key and to take over earth."_

He explains as he jumps onto his motorcycle.

Though that explanation brings up more questions than answers, it's probably better to just follow. I quickly put on my helmet and get on my own bike, following closely as he rides off.

Even in the short time we were talking, the zone, as Zoom called it, had rearranged itself agian. I can only hope that he has some idea of wheres he's going.

It takes a few minutes, but we find ourselves in another clearing, much smaller then the one we are in. Another difference is that this one wasn't eerily quiet as the other had been, instead I could very clearly hear-

" _Is that fighting?"_ I question.

Zoom curses. _"Yeah, and from the sound of it, its not going well."_ He pauses, before he starts talking agian, but he's not looking at me this time. "Vert,I have the battle key. Hows it going on your end?"

He pauses, I'm assuming the Vert in qiestion is responding. _"_ It doesn't sound alright. Listen, give me a few minutes and I'll... What do you mean no? From the sounds of it you guys are going to get overun! Ugh, fine." He puts a hand on his helmet,staring angerly at the violet wall not far from us.

" _Is this Vert in trouble?"_ I ask, he turns to me, suprise flickering on his face for a second before he answers.

" _Yeah, he and the team seem to be slowly losing control of the fight, and I have to help them, but I can't go charging in there with the battle key, and I can't leave you here by yourself."_ he responds, his tone bordering on anger.

I straighten up , cracking my knuckles. _"_ _OK. Simple solution,_ _you go help you_ _r_ _friends and I'll protect the key."_

He looks at me with alarm. " _The sark are dangerous, and if they have a track on the key then they'll come for it."_

I smirk at him. _" You say that like I can't defend myself in a fight."_

He starts nodding slowly, a smile spreading on his face. _"I mean,_ _you can_ _._ _And if you stay put theres less chance of the battlezone interfereing. Still kind of a bad idea..._ _"_

" _Oh come on Zoom, you now I can do this, and it'll be fun for me. I haven't kicked someone'_ _s_ _ass in a fight for awhile."_

" _Fine, but you better take good care of it."_ He half steps off, and takes the key from his yellow motorcycle and tosses it to me. " _If you put it in your bag, stick that in your storage, and always stay close, it should be pretty safe."_

I do a mock salute. " _You got it."_ With a nod, he sits back on and hits the gas, doing a smooth u turn and speeding off.

This will be easy and fun, I can easily take those little round things out of the sky. And if worst comes to worst, I always have my secret weapon. At that thought, my gaze flickers down to my right arm, currently covered by the sleeve of my light, well worn sweater. The device around my arm had saved my life a couple of times, and quite possibly endangered it a few times aswell. It probably isn't a smart idea to use it, seeing as I barely know anything about it, and wouldn't know how it works in this battlezone. And my esteemed relative had once spent months on this device, perhaps he-

I flinch, hands dropping to my sides from where they were lifted to zip up my grey attachable storage bag. That wasn't smart. I blink a few times, trying not to get swept up in old memories, old memories that are so very vivid, some of which still keep me up at night.

Shaking my head, I remind myself that I need to focus. I need to keep a look out for-

My thought gets inturpted by the sound of metal scraping agianst each other. Tensing up, I survey the clearing around me, watching both of the entrances to my far right for signs of movement.

Then I see the shine of silver metal, standing out starkly agianst the sea of a cautious step closer to that metal, I look closer, and realize it's a hand.

And then its another hand.

And a long, body, perching on the flat top, its head turning, so very slowly, and now I'm holding the unblinking gaze of a robot the size of me as it leaps down to the ground and advances.

Maybe this wouldn't be as easy as I thought it would be.

The robot continues forward, gaining a couple more steps when the shock of wears off and instincts start taking over. Darting forward, I meet the robot halfway, twisting my body to kick its side, sending it careening onto the ground. I grimace at the dull pain now trobbing in my leg where it made contact as I smash my other foot into it's head, creating a large indent.

The bright red fades to dark, the metal body going slack. Hopefully this means that its dead, or atleast as dead as a robot can get.

I turn, about to start looking for moe, but I see the shining metal immediatly. More hands pulling up more emotionless robots. Three pull themselves completly over and land on the gorund in perfect sync, twisting their heads to bring their bright red circles facing me.

I shift into a better fighting stance, and set to work agianst them, quickly falling into a rythmic pattern of movement, taking down one after the other, and just as I finish with this round other robots come jumping over the wall and advancing, no variations in their movements, no change in their faces or bodies at all.

Time slips by me unoticed, so Im not sure how long its been since I looked up from the carnage. Vaguely I notice my enviroment changing slightly but don't really register anything, concentrating on the next robot.

That is until I smash the head of what feels like the millionth one and look around for the next.

Only, there is none. Just the umoving shells scattered around me ( nowhere close to the number I thought there were). Its just me...

And the people in the strange brightly coloured clothing.

I jump backwards, much to the chagrin of my aching muscles, the feeling of bruises coming to the forefront now.

It's quiet, until the shortest one in blue cheers. "That was amazing! You gotta teach me to fight like that!"

I shift back, watching warily as the red one moves forward, but Zoom moves quicker, planting himself in the middle of the small area between me, and the brightly coloured people with the strange cars.

"Guys, this is an old friend of mine Atchara. Atchara, these are the people I mentioned earlier." he glances at me, probably making sure I wasn't going to try and dart off.

Of course Im not going to make any promises.

The red one steps forward. "My names Vert, and we're good guys, promise. How'd you get here?"

I hesitate, my gaze flickering between him and Zoom. I feel everyone waiting for an answer but I would really rather not talk to these people, I dont know anything about them or what they might do once I tell them and oh god what if-

Dammit Atchara, answer already. "I was driving and..." I trail off, trying to figure out how to even begin describing that thing, let alone in english. My speaking has gotten so rusty in the pat few months aswell...

Making eye contact with Zoom I say. "I don't know how to say in english ... _there was a blue tornado, but there was no wind._ _The strangest thing I've ever seen honestly. Normally I wouldn't have gone much closer but I wa speeding. Alot. And I couldn't stop in time and ended up barrelling into it. The next thing I know, I end up here._ _"_

He nods, and after a brief pause translates for the rest of the people.

Vert speaks agian. " I know you probably have a lot of quesion, and I'd be happy to answer them for you-" Perhaps the alarm on my face at the thought of talking more with these people was evident because he continues "but you probably just ant to get out of the zone right now. Do you have the battle key?"

I nod, backtracking to where my motorcycle is still parked, pulling the key out of my bag and tossing it over. He catches it mid air with ease, dropping it onto the hood of his car. Vert speaks, more to the other people than me, cheerfully saying "Let's head home!"


	4. Chapter 4

" _Be warned, there is a conspiracy theory that this place puts the gasoline in their coffee to make it look darker."_ Zoom comments, handing me the coffee.

We sit on an old wooden bench in front of the convenience store, attached to a currently vacant gas station. Its closer to evening at this point, less time having passed then what I initially thought. Other then the half-asleep highschooler currently manning the checkout inside, we are alone.

I take a sip, and make a face. " _Tastes like it does."_ Gas station coffees have been my breakfast almost every day for seven months. Yet this one somehow manages to surpass all the odds and be the worst one's I've ever had.

But I take another sip, because I've built up a tolerance for terrible tasting coffees.

" _But you kinda understand though right? Like, about all that went on and what the battle force 5 do."_

" _Yeah, I mean its crazy, but cool, and also a little scary to think that we could be invaded_ _at any time and the only protection we have is six people in admittedly_ _cool cars, but whatever."_ I shrug, trying to act as nonchalant as possible. More then a little daunting actually, to find out the fate of the earth is in the hands of people older then me, but they had to have experience by now…. Right?

We've been talking for awhile now, only stopping to go grab some drinks, but it feels strange to me. Having a full blown conversation. The most I've said to anyone at a time has been less then 6 words, but actually communicating and letting emotions slip through? It feels so foreign.

" _You don't need to worry about a thing, we haven't let the sark or the vandals come close to getting through the earth portal."_ He tilts his head, " _Or, well,_ rarely _at least."_

" _Wow Zoom, that completely erased all my worries, you have my full vote of confidence."_ I deadpan.

He laughs, nudging me with his shoulder. " _Oh come on, are you telling me that you don't trust me to do a good job protecting the earth."_

I lean forward, resting my head on my free hand, and humming to myself. " _Well, since I kne…. know you so well, then I guess,"_ I turn my head to look at him, smiling playfully. " _Absolutely_ _not."_

He laughs, shifting on the bench to turn more towards me. " _What, do you think you could do a better job?"_

I nod. " _Oh definitely. I'd have already wiped out the entire Sark species by now._ _Who knew robots would be so fun to fight."_ I chuckle to myself. I can't remember the last time I laughed so much.

Yes you can, a voice in the back of my head whispers. It was before-

I flinch. No. I'm not going to think about that right now, today is a good day. Let's not ruin it.

" _Of course you would think its fun. You've gotten better since you left the order, its impressive."_ he compliments. I smile at the mention of The Order of the Flying Fists, which had been more of a home then my actual one to me when I was younger.

" _I kept up the practice, what else would I do with my time?"_ Its all I had done for years and basically all I could do well. I took me until I was 15 to find other things I liked. Though I haven't been keeping up with them as of late. " _I'm pretty sure you're better then me now, you had proper training for longer."_

" _I left about a year and a half after you did actually."_ he shrugs.

I raise my eyebrows." _Really? Master Takeyasu's golden boy? Leaving? Why?"_

" _It was…. so boring, and repetitive. Everyday became the same cycle of eat rice, meditate, train, more rice, some more meditation. I wanted to explore and go on adventures. Go places where I'm just_ _Zoom, not the chosen one."_ He goes quiet, and I feel like I should say something in response but nothing comes to mind that wouldn't be a dumb.

" _Yeah._ " I say, it being the best worst option I could come up with.

" _You probably_ _don't want to hear me rant on about chosen one stuff, it'd keep us talking for hours. Speaking of which, where are you spending the night?_ " he questions, standing up.

That thought hadn't crossed my mind yet.

Thinking back, I can't remember seeing any signs for motels or any signs for upcoming ones.

"Uhh…..."

" _Come to think of it, I don' think there's many in the area. Or any at all. Hey! You know what, I know for a fact there's some extra rooms in the hub! You can crash there for however_ _long you're here, and tomorrow I'll take you out and show you the wonders of Handlers Corners."_ Zoom suggests.

" _Will your friends be ok with it?"_

" _I'm sure Vert will be fine with it, not like we'd have to hide anything. But I can text him to make sure._ "

I hesitate for a second, but logic and the want to keep speaking with Zoom win me over.

" _Sure. Thank you."_

The panic at having to interact with strangers starts to infect my thoughts as I park my motorcycle, but gets overtaken by awe at this very, very strange basement.

Its almost blindingly white, with designs, patterns and structures that look like they came from a hundred years into the future. But none of its as strange as the glowing blue woman walking towards us, the red one whose name I think is Vert following a few steps behind.

"Atchara, this is Sage, a blue sentient. She's the one that built all this. Sage, this is Atchara. She's an old friend."

Sage gives me a warm smile. "Greetings."

"Hi."

"I was very intrigued from what the Vert and the team told me of you. They said you held off quite a few sark on your own."

"And for the record, that is something to be proud of." adds Vert. "You've got some skill.

I nod, a smile forming. "Thank you."

"You have a background in martial arts, correct?"

Another nod. "Was at the order of the flying fist for years."

"Not only that, but she was one of the best students. Only a handful of people our age could beat her consistently." Zoom comments. I shrug, I was good, but nowhere near the skill level of the people he was mentioning, including him.

"Good to know. You own a motorcycle," she gestures a hand, and I notice that it looks like she's almost translucent. "Would you say you are a skilled driver?"

"Yeah. I've medalled in competitive races."

"Impressive. Would you be willing to demonstrate on our track tomorrow?"

"Uh, sure." I respond.

"Excellent. I'll see you then." she says, turning and… floating? Floating away. Ok.

"There's a couple extra rooms at the end of the hallway where everyone else's are. Any one of those would be ok to use." Vert tells us, though more to Zoom then me. "See you both tomorrow morning!"

" _What was with the interview?"_ I question.

" _Not super sure, but I have some ideas."_ He grins. " _Don't worry about it. C'mon, I'll show you where we all sleep._

"So what we want you to do is pretty simple. Once Spinner waves the checkered flag, lap around the track twice, fast as you can go, dodging the pylons we've set up. We'll keep tabs on your speed and the time it take you. Got all that?" Vert tells me, gesturing as he speaks.

I nod, pulling my helmet onto my head, and he backtracks off to the side of the track. And although its barely nine thirty, the humidity is rising fast. I don't understand how people can function day to day like this.

The shorter of the brothers, with impossibly tall and spiky hair marches forward, and raises the flag into the air. Instinctively I lean forward, clutching the handlebar tight. With a flourish, the flag is whipped down, and I hit the gas pedal and speed forward.

I'm counting the seconds in my head, keeping a carefully trained eye on the closest pylons. Making sure that I don't come anywhere close to the orange. I half wonder why I care so much about doing well and impressing these people. Its a dumb thought, since I already know the answer; it's pride. I can count the things I pride myself in on one hand, and my prowess in racing is one of them. I don't care if this isn't a real race, I'm not going to let myself down by performing poorly.

I finish the lap well, making near identical movements to my first go around, ending smoothly across the finish line. Dismounting, I tuck my helmet under my arm and walk over to the others on the sideline.

Zoom, from where he's sitting on a stack of spare tires, shoots me a grin and a thumbs up.

Vert straightens up from where he'd been leaning over the larger brother's, whose name probably also starts with S, shoulder looking at a screen. "Great job out there Atchara."

Sage, who is hovering just to my right, looking like she's flicking through dark blue triangles that have appeared in front of her. "Vert is correct, you avoided all pylons with ease." She turns to me, looking like she's about to say something else when her gaze snaps to my forearm.

Why is she's so ensnared by the large black piece of fabric I always have tied around it? I wonder at first, looking as she takes hold of my wrist and I see clearly what the problem is.

There is no black fabric. I'm sure if I looked behind me I'd see it discarded on the track somewhere, come undone.

But I can't.

I'm frozen in something resembling fear. I can't tell.

The white, sleek, futuristic machine covering the majority of my forearm reflects the morning sun. The indented lines glowing a soft blue. It lays flat and low against my skin, if you didn't know it was there, you wouldn't be able to tell by sight.

But it's there, in broad daylight.

Shit.

 **It's been awhile, hasn't it? Don't worry, I haven't abandoned this. I just ran into some serious lack of inspiration/ideas and got stuck. Hopefully the next chapter will be out sooner then this. I want to say around mid-september, but don't quote me on it.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter though, and if you've got any feedback let me know, I'm always looking to improve!**


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